Debate on AKbar's fate delayed

JAKARTA: Leaders of the House of Representatives (DPR) failed Tuesday to discuss a proposal submitted by nearly 100 legislators to suspend Speaker Akbar Tandjung for his role in a financial scandal involving the State Logistics Agency (Bulog).

Akbar, who chaired a meeting of House leaders on Tuesday, told reporters that House leaders needed more time to study the case.

"Maybe we can take it up in the next House leaders meeting. Unfortunately we ran out of time and could not get to that particular issue today," Akbar was quoted by Antara as saying.

The meeting was attended by House deputy speakers Soetardjo Soerjogoeritno of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, A.M. Fatwa of the National Mandate Party, Tosari Widjaja of the United Development Party, and Muhaimin Iskandar of the National Awakening Party as well as House Secretary General Siti Nurhayati.

Akbar did not say when House leaders would meet again.

At least 70 legislators, including those from Akbar's Golkar Party, submitted a petition earlier seeking the suspension of Akbar as House speaker after he was found guilty of corruption in a Rp 40 billion financial scandal involving Bulog.